In her third full novel, Ali Hazelwood takes us on an emotional roller-coaster and deep into the not-always-fun world of academia. When Elsie finally lands an interview for her perfect university job, she discovers one of the interviewers, Jack Smith, is going to be a bit of a problem, in more ways that one. The first problem: she's kind of fake dating his brother. The second problem? He hates everything to do we theoretical physics and Elsie just so happens to be a physicist of the theoretical variety. The third and biggest problem? Jack is convinced she's not going to get the job, and he just might be right, but not for the reasons Elsie thinks.

Hazelwood is so good at flawed, but still redeemable characters. Both Elsie and Jack have preexisting unhealthy thoughts and relationships that they need to work through. I was pleasantly surprised to watch the book continue after the interview and hiring was complete. Watching Elsie work through the unfairness of academia and still come out on top was the cherry on the romance novel cake. Thank you Ali for having female characters who still want to succeed their career, even when prince charming comes sweep them off their feet.

I really enjoyed this STEMinist book! As I am currently working in (non-STEM) academia, I can relate to how wild the interview process can be. The steam was spot on and I really liked getting to see characters from previous books by Ali Hazelwood!

First of all, NOBODY writes "he falls first" pining like Ali–the longing and devotion we got from this man is unparalleled. 🙌 She's also cranked up the tension and emotional character arcs big time with Elsie and Jack–I would almost call this enemies to lovers instead of rivals because these two were DIAMETRICALLY opposed from the start. Their dynamic in the first third of the book was borderline stressful (in the best possible way because you just know that all that passion and hatred is going to lead to some incredible makeout scenes 😏)

The love confession in this book rocked my world–(another thing that Ali is universally beloved for!) And there was so much emotional intelligence and deep-hitting mental health rep in this that it's practically a certified Therapy Dupe. While there are absolutely multiple plotlines in this, I'd say that the emotional growth of the characters is the primary focus, particularly in the last 50%. Elsie is a recovering people pleaser with what I strongly suspect is BPD (or maybe I'm just projecting my own diagnosis bc she's one of the most deeply relatable characters I've ever read? I don't think so though.) I loved that Jack also had growth and imperfect behaviors of his own to work on and this never felt like a savior dynamic between them.

There's lesbian and meaningful Ace/Aro spectrum representation in this (side characters, but with major contributions to plot and dialogue) as well as some really stellar examples of allyship–namely the two main characters doing their best to support these friends but realizing and owning their mistakes when they make them, emphatically apologizing and correcting their behaviors.

And if you're a current or former academic/graduate student/STEM baddie, I think you'll really appreciate how Ali rains hellfire upon the entire broken and exploitative system in this one–she's always been outspoken about her spot-on criticisms but she does not pull any punches in this book in particular. 🔥

THANK YOU to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the free e-galley in exchange for my honest review–this is easily one of my favorite romcoms of the year, and one that I know I'll return to again and again as a comfort read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
- Enemies to Lovers
- STEMinist RomComs
- Academia
- Twilight Marathons

Love, Theoretically has captured the 'Ali Hazelwood formula' and polished it up but in no way feels like a carbon copy of her previous work. This is by far the funniest, steamiest and quirkiest STEM romance that Ali Hazelwood has written and is now, hands down, my favorite book of hers. I've seen lots of comments that this will just be a 'copy/paste of her last two books' but that is NOT IT.

Elsie and Jack feel like more refined characters and were never aloof, oblivious or jumping to conclusions that you know a PhD level sciences would never jump to. The relationship moves faster than I would normally like but it works with Elsie and Jack's dynamic.

Jack is one of those heroes that has that big and bad reputation but of course once you get to know him, he is far from what everyone seems to believe. Plus, the way he communicates and is open with Elsie is just *chefs kiss*.

I feel like I could go on and on about this book but I don't want to give away too much. I will recommend this to any romance reader and probably won't shut up about how perfect Jack Smith is.

p.s. you're all in for a treat because there is a multiple page cameo of Adam and Olive (The Love Hypothesis) aaaand a mention of Bee (Love on the Brain).

The best description of Ali Hazelwood's writing I've seen is that it is the same story, in a different font. However, I will say Love, Theoretically has been the strongest writing so far - without the second hand embarrassment brought on by the sunscreen or the mars topography that haunt me from two of her other books.
Elsie is a people pleaser who is pulled into stupid family dramas and won't go no contact with her family. She's also a low paid adjunct with a boss that is obviously (to me) actively undermining her, so is working as an escort (in the literal meaning of the word, not the commonly understood meaning of that job title) to make ends meet. Jack Smith is both the older brother of one of Elsie's escort clients and on the panel for selecting her for a new role at a different university, so a wealth of hijinks are on deck with that setup.
A strong outing by Hazelwood.

Thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an arc for review.

Another great read from Hazelwood. Good weaving in of current topics and real issues. Satisfying conclusion to the romantic conflict.

(3/3,5 stars)
A typical Ali Hazelwood read that had a bit more umph than Love on the Brain but still struggled to match the novelty of The Love Hypothesis.

Adjunct physics professor, Elsie Hannaway is just trying to make ends meet and maintain her health amid a chronic illness, but when her paying fake dating boyfriend's brother is more than he seems, it could mean the end of her people pleasing nature but also her physics career.

Here's What Worked:
- The early premise of fake dating Greg immediately drew me in. It felt like a fresh take and the reasoning behind it felt genuine.
- Enjoyed the enemies to lovers aspect between Jack and Elsie.
-Elsie's need to please others felt VERY relatable
-As always, love the perspective offered of being a woman in STEM. Hazelwood does a great job of showcasing the culture, which can obviously be male dominated and toxic as well as political.
-Jack, the MMC, was easy to understand. I understood his background, his characterization, and the reasoning behind all of his actions which made him easy to root for.
-Great side characters. Cece, Greg, and George all added to the story and continued to make me laugh.
-Appreciate the conversations regarding sexuality and lack there of. Not something included in romance books often and its done well!
-CAMEOS!!!!

Here's What Didn't Work:
- The pacing didn't work. The middle and end kind of dragged. A few things are solved early on that made this book feel like it ended sooner than it actually did. Could've probably gotten the same resolution with fewer pages.
-Miscommunication reared its ugly head in annoying fashion in this one. Jack is very straightforward, but Elsie just doesn't get it? Even outside the romance, people say things to her but she struggles to infer anything?? And I get her not believing people liking her for her but....still didn't make sense.
-I appreciated Jack's patience and understanding, but it almost feels like he fixes her? In a way that feels unrealistic. This is the same woman who lets mentor call her by the wrong name for YEARS, but all of a sudden, she grows a backbone. I understand, but something about it felt dismissive of the clear work Elsie needed to do on her own.
- This a spicy read. And although I enjoyed the level of communication and consent between them, something about it felt not great and maybe performative.
- We get it, Ali. All of your MMCs are freakishly tall. However, the amount of words and sentences dedicated to showcasing that fact is getting ridiculous. Give us an average 5'10 king and move on!

Overall, a fun, albeit familiar and formulaic read from Hazelwood that didn't reinvent any experimental phyiscal models but could've benefit from it.

Thank you Berkley Romance and Netgalley for my free e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have now read everything Ali Hazelwood has put out and can confirm, everything is the same. THE EXACT SAME. The characters and storylines are all the same, just copy and paste. I did not necessarily hate this book or was unhappy while reading it. But if you read any of her novels before or the novellas, you have basically read them all.

If you have any reservations about reading this book... lose them! This book is (another) must read. Not just because it's another amazing book written by Ali Hazelwood, but because it will have everything you want in a romance. This book had me laughing out loud, gasping, and ready for more! I never wanted it to end. The chemistry between Elsie and Jack is straight fire! She speaks her mind, frequently, and Jack isn't afraid to stand up to her. Elsie thinks that Jack single-handedly destroyed theorists' reputation and realizes there may be more to the story than what she think she knows. Jack may not be the self righteous jerk that she always assumed him to be. Elsie is forced to confront Jack as he is a part of her hiring committee for her dream job. But this has other complications since she knows Jack... from fake dating his younger brother! Jack thinks that she's lying to his brother and is immediately wary of her and her intentions, whereas Elsie now knows Jack is the reason that her and theorists everywhere aren't taken seriously. Thus starts a feud that quickly has more passion than either had expected. The more they're forced together, the more Jack and Elsie realize they just might not hate each other after all. And small spoiler- (if you're an Ali Hazelwood fan you'll know) there's an Adam and Olive appearance!!! #NetGalley #NetGalleyARC #ARC #LoveTheoretically #AliHazelwood

Hazelwood does it again!

I lived for when I had moments to read this book. I squeezed in every moment I could into my busy schedule to consume this, even 5 minute breaks! I was kicking and screaming and giggling at all the sweet moments that eventually brought out protagonists together. I mean I was seriously gushing, still am.

While the romance was wonderful and well-paced, I also really appreciated Hazelwood's discussions on academia and the job hunt. I cried at various points because somethings just hit so close to home: from terrible advisors who don't have your best interest at heart to never having enough money or health insurance to some job postings just being shady. I felt it. I'm not in STEM, but these issues are rampant across academia.

And now it's time to go reread Hazelwood's entire bibliography!

4.5/5⭐️ so cute!! Ali’s STEM romances are my fav🫶🏻 jack and Elsie were so cute and i loved the extra academia aspect to this! it has a bit of disability rep in the form of diabetes. thank you so much Berkeley Romance for the ARC!!!

I love how Ali Hazelwood blends science and romance together, and she keeps getting better at it as she goes.

I may have screamed with joy to get this ebook as I love this author!

I love that she features women in STEM. Elsie is so relatable and funny. She has a PHD in theoretical physics but is stuck working as an adjunct professor. She has to supplement her income to pay off student loans so she works for Faux as a fake date for hire.

Elsie is hilarious! I love hearing the thoughts in her head. She is a people pleaser and is always changing to accommodate those around her and make others happy. This is a problem that Jack points out to her and he tells her he wants her to be honest. She is devastated when she learns the truth about her mentor. She finally is able to get away from him and do what she loves.

Watching Jack love and help her to grow and change was beautiful to watch unfold. He is able to see her for who she really is and help her to feel comfortable in her own skin and to be honest with others. She also is able to tell Jack how his essay affected her and others. This makes him reflect on his own life and ultimately write a beautiful article to win Elsie back.

I get a kick out of all the quirky characters in this book. This book does tackle some tough issues but will make you laugh along the way.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley publishing for this e-book.

Ok this book was so cute I was giggling so much!!!

It’s about Elsie who is a theoretical physicist working as an adjunct professor who also part time fake dates men to make money off of a fake dating app.

That’s where she runs into one of her clients brother who she instantly butts heads with.

Their tension and banter was so good I loved their relationship. I just loved how the MMC Jack was very straight up with her and always asked her what did she want even when she didn’t know. He was so confident and reassuring I loved their dynamic.

There was definitely a lot of science jargon and lingo in this novel that sometimes felt a bit too much and repetitive but I overall enjoyed the book so so much!

I'm going to need 3 to 5 business days to recover from the book hanger I currently have. I loved each and every part of this book and I already can't wait to reread it. Potential spoilers below!

I do not work in academia or have a STEM background, so I loved being introduced to this whole new world. Ali Hazelwood truly is the queen of STEM romance! The banter was chefs kiss and don't even get me started on the spice. Hands down her spiciest book yet!!

Elsie is currently unhappy in her position as an adjunct and a professional fake girlfriend, so when the opportunity to interview for MIT's physic's department, she's thrilled. That is until she bumps into Jack, the brother to one of her favorite clients and her sworn enemy. Along the way, we get to see Elsie gain more confidence in herself as a professional in her field,, as well as, be her true self to those most important to her.

Oh Jack, there aren't enough words in the English language to gush about this man. He saw Elsie, truly saw her and loved her even when he wasn't supposed to. He helped her accept her true self, while also standing up for what she wants, not what those around her want. He made his way to the top of my book boyfriend list!

This was hand down my favorite book of 2023 so far, Ali Hazelwood blew me away. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I like Ali Hazelwood, but many say, if you've read one of her books, you've read them all. This stands true of this book as well. I wouldn't not recommend it, but it is getting a little repetitive.

Love, Theoretically should come with a warning: read this when you have enough time to finish in one sitting to avoid heartache. My lunch break was spent reading and left me with an immense feeling of dying when I had to return to work. I couldn't put this book down. I wanted to call in sick just so I could stay home and read (I couldn't do that, as I'm a librarian, loved the nod to librarians by the way). Somehow this book not only managed to live up to The Love Hypothesis, but it actually had moments of unpredictability, humor, and left me feeling smarter; all of these elements are very hard to come by in a romance. I loved every second of this book and have already purchased at least one copy for our library. Patrons will devour this. Now, cue my book-hangover.

I was nervous about this book, but I ended up reading it in 2 days! It seems like Ali follows a formula in her books (all men are the worst, incredibly stupid and get everything in the world except for the love interest, the mc must be betrayed by a man in the second half of the book, the male mc is perfect in all ways) but I did really find the guy in this book to be adorable. And the best friend was great too.
3.5 stars

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkeley publishing for the E-arc!
I was so excited to see another Ali Hazelwood book and even more excited when someone told me to love interest looked like Milo Thach. I really enjoyed the stem romances, especially since I am a stem major myself. Whenever I see a new addition to the series, I get very excited as I enjoy reading these romances quite a bit. They are fun and quick and great for a relaxing read.

This authors books all follow a pretty similar recipe & flow, but I still enjoy them each time. I truly love seeing the life of women in STEM & seeing them find HEA!